I'm feeling more self-consious about this than I would have expected. I'm in my 40s and thought I was past those sorts of feelings... but when I catch sight of my pod in the mirror when I'm out I feel a little... ugh. It doesn't help that I have all this tape and then tape marks from the last time I had a pod on this arm. I really need to get something to get that goo off! If it were just the pod w/ no tape or marks maybe it would be okay... But I'm not sure. So far, though, my arms are my favorite site, but I'm in San Diego where I'm gonna be wearing short sleeves or tank tops 9 months of the year. It's 80* here today.
If the new pods are significantly flatter, maybe it won't be as much of an issue. I'll probably feel better about them on my abdomen and thighs and maybe not feel the need to tape over them.
I wore my pod on my arm for the first time a few weeks ago and people kept staring at me, I just laughed it off. It is hard to adjust to and I don’t need extra tape. I started wearing it on my back and forget about it! I love the freedom to wear it in so many “new” spots.
There are some things you can do. Sports tape covers them up nicely, there are also some arm bands called "Bands for life" made to cover Omnipods that look nice. Personally, I wear short sleve shirts with the sleeves that are almost to my elbows.
I try to use skin-tac wipes to help keep the pod on, rather than resorting to additional tape, etc. Because I agree that the more adhesive you use, the more adhesive residue you're going to have to deal with. (on that note, you might try baby oil for helping to remove that residue. Or look into getting some "Detachol", which was designed to take off Mastisol). Here's a pic from where my pod's at right now. Clearly, I wear my pods "out". I also have another spot further around the "back" of my arm that I prefer to wear it as well.
Yes, I get questions from time to time at the gym, or even when I'm at the grocery store. But I really don't care. I like to use that opportunity to educate people (esp. when they couple their curiosity with questions/comments like "oh you have the bad kind?" or "oh so you ate too much candy as a kid?" or "oh my grandma died from that after her foot was cut off"). I also wear pump peelz from time to time when I'm wearing the pod out where people can see it. Makes it more fun that way.
I don't think the new pods will be "significantly flatter". Some of the our European friends have mentioned that while it is smaller, most do not notice a dramatic decrease in size while wearing it. Anecdotal evidence, of course, but I don't foresee it suddenly feeling like "nothing's there" when you put on the new pods.
I've been on the pod for 2-3 years and have never worn it where it could be seen. I tried my arm once but it was under my sleeve and I didn't like it, kept knocking it off and it felt very vulnerable. Don't think I would ever be comfortable, don't like drawing attention to myself anyway and this just gives them another reason to stare. Never needed to wear it exposed, there are so many other areas that work just fine, so why do it.
I’m 41 and have been on the pod since September last year. Although the weather in the UK isn’t quite as good (!!) I do like wearing polo shirts etc and whilst I did feel very self concious to start with, now I don’t give it a second thought.
I make a bit of a joke of it and either say its a nicorette patch but its so big because I used to smoke 200 a day, or I say it’s a security tag so I don’t break bail conditions! That normally breaks the ice with people and then when I tell them what it really is, generally people are fascinated by how it works etc.
At the end of the day if wearing the pod on your arm works for you, then it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
I have had diabetes 40+ years and started using a pump years ago. When in line at a local fabric store I noted someone several people in front of me had the omnipod on! I was so happy to see someone else who had it. I stepped out of line and we spoke for some time about it. She had no problem wearing it where it could be seen, it is a way for us to inform and or share what it is. Now I try and wear it so others can see it. It is nice to know I am not alone in this....
It's funny, I never had a problem with my pump tubing showing and I actually would let some of it hang out on purpose because I met a few type I's out in the world that way, which was nice. I don't remember if anyone asked me about it who didn't already know. I feel like the pods are a little more mysterious looking somehow. I would rather have people ask me about it than wonder what it could possibly be. So far, I've only had it on my arms in short sleeves this week and nobody has asked.
Well, it would be more attractive w/o the tape for sure. lol You look perfectly presentable. I'll have to pick up some baby oil on my way home today. I tried coconut oil, but it didn't help at all.
This is the mess that I've got on my arm right now (it's surprisingly hard to get a pic of the back of your arm!):
I loved wearing them on my arms. People would ask me if I had quit smoking because they thought it was a nicotine patch. I am 38 and an elementary teacher, and I would glue google eyes to my pump so I could tell my students I had eyes in the back of me. If you are really nervous, those iPod arm bands cover it up very nicely and people just think you have an mp3 player there.
No one ever expressed disgust or were upset when they saw my pump, so it never occurred to me to hide it. I was so excited I wasn’t using MDI that I proudly wore my pump.
I was also the only person in my town with the omnipod, so it was a nice learning opportunity.
Acetone nail polish remover takes the tape marks off nicely.
I love this discussion. I just got a sample pod in the mail to try out and I carried the thing around in my pocket half the day before I got up the nerve to stick it on. In my mind, I thought I wouldn’t care if people saw and planned to put it on my arm. But I knew I would be swimming this morning and I chickened out and stuck it on my back instead. And then cried about it. Lol. I love that I have this technology available bough! I like the covers for it, and I like the jokes about the nicotine patch or parole monitor. I want to be bold about it and use it as a way to educate people. I hate calling attention to myself, so it will take some getting use to. It’s good to know that there are others who struggle.
I didn't know that nail polish remover would work! I picked up some baby oil tonight, but I know that will come in handy someday. :)
I need to change pods tonight so I'm gonna clean up the gunk and see what happens if I don't use tape. I know it wouldn't survive on my belly with no tape, but maybe on my arm. I do feel thankful for the tape when I misjudge a doorjamb, though. Do you ever learn to go right through the middle of a doorway? lol
I don't think it's the pod itself that's causing me grief, but the tape. I'd like to be able to proudly let my pod show!
I'm brand new to omnipod myself, but I'm having great luck with it. I've actually had three previous pumps, but I feel like this one is kind of magical. I have not hardly been working on my b/s at all, and yet it seems to magically fall right in line. I think maybe the starts have all lined up for me. But I hope you have the same experience.
You will learn to be aware of where you put your pod. I used my outer thighs for a long time and until I became concious of it I'd constantly pull it off when I'd pull my pants up. I no longer use tape to hold my pods on due to skin allergies. I was a huge tape fiend (I used the stretchy cushion brown tape) but now I use Skin Tac liquid adhesive. After I take the tabs off I brush it all over the adhesive backing, blow it dry with my hair dryer and it sticks very well. If it comes loose for whatever reason I use tegaderm to keep it on until my 3 days and 8 hours are up! Make sure you rotate your spot. I was told (too late) that you need to rotate your pod three places before you go back to the original. So you put it on your left arm, then your right, then your left thigh and back to your left arm again. I used to just rotate my arms and now they don't absorb very well. Find that third spot to rotate in so you have a good 9 days to heal.
You probably will get to terms with the pods. They make our life a lot easier. I have experienced that the pods are a nice piece of conversation. People feel free to ask questions. Much better than publicly putting a needle in your body!
I have been using the omni pod since oct 2012.I work in a huge company in a fancy dancy office and I wear the pod on my arm a lot. I sometimes get stares and questions, it doesn`t bother me(Then again I don`t use all that tape that you do, I don`t have problems with it unsticking most of the time). Yeah I'll admit, depending on who asks me questions about what it is and what my mood is, I sometimes give them outragous answers. the way I see it is that, the pod is keeping my D under control, and I have a sense of pride about that. so if people around me have a problem with it, it is their problem alone.
I put it on the back of my arm. Less bumping into things. People behind me can see it but they hardly start talking to me about it. If they do I tell them it is my power pack "I am powered by Omnipod" LOL The 1st gen pod where sometimes dangling from the tape and I sometimes used 3M™ Coban Wrap but I must say the new ones are lighter and are better glued to the tape so they feel different/tighter. I use them now for two months and never used any extra tape. So the 2nd gen. Pods do make a difference.
I started using the Omnipod in July after many years on the MM tubed pumps. I was never self-conscious with the tubing even though I thought I would be. Like you though, I do feel uncomfortable sometimes about the pod when it is on my arm and I wear short sleeves. I've learned to just ignore it and no one has ever asked me about it. Do you use the tape because they are not adhering or because you are worried about the coming off?? I use Skin-prep and usually I have to pry them off. Also, I use Uni-solve medical adhesive removal pads and it takes the residue off really easily. Nothing else has ever worked for me (baby oil, polish remover etc)
